Chapter 34: The Mysterious Sphere is Awakened

"Master, shall we pursue them?" Baird rode up to Viren and inquired.

Watching the centaurs vanish into the distance, Viren shook his head and issued his command: "Have the others focus on capturing the cerulean-purple horses. Ignore the fleeing centaurs."

With their faces fully masked throughout, their adversary could not have gleaned any useful information. Still, on their way back to the territory, Viren made sure to alter their route, wary of the possibility of being tailed.

By nightfall, they had gathered a total of one hundred and thirty-seven cerulean-purple horses—seventeen stallions, one hundred and six mares, and fourteen foals.

Viren was well satisfied with this number. In time, with these mares, he could breed over a thousand cerulean-purple horses and form his own order of knights.

Meanwhile, Alia, who had escaped the encirclement, did not retreat far but hid among the surrounding shrubs, intent on shadowing them to gather intelligence and pinpoint a target for her vengeance.

"Despicable humans, I will make you pay dearly—most dearly," Alia hissed between clenched teeth, lying low in the grass. The silver warrior Doris, who had perished, was one of her only two steadfast supporters, now dead in this unknown land. With the loss of the horse herd as well, she feared she would be reduced to a mere tool for forging alliances with other centaur clans. Bitter resentment gnawed at her.

For several days, Viren followed his planned circuitous route toward the neighboring province of Sepro, skirting the edge of the Cadro Province. He had long since noticed the centaurs trailing behind and intended to lead them astray.

The western borderlands of Sepro Province were chiefly being developed by scions of the Harks family—a marquis house of Iron Hero Domain in the West River Province, archenemies of the Ecks family.

A week later, upon confirming the centaurs had withdrawn, Viren turned north along the border, making his way back to Lake of Wishing Stars.

At this very moment, the Harks family in the western reaches of Sepro Province remained oblivious to the powerful centaur clan soon to descend upon them in search of vengeance.

On the morning of August 25th, the party returned to their territory.

"Master," Orlando and Sheberai greeted Viren with a respectful bow upon his return.

"Excellent—your strength has broken through once again. As expected of the guardians I handpicked," Viren declared, clapping their shoulders in praise.

The eight knights behind him stared wide-eyed in astonishment. From mere novices, these two had advanced in under half a year to a level it had taken others six or seven years to attain.

At that moment, the mysterious orbs Viren carried began to react. The two strange spheres acquired from a merchant at the entrance to West River Province now emitted a peculiar energy.

"Could it be..."

Viren glanced at Orlando and Sheberai, a sudden realization dawning upon him.

"Baird, see to it the cerulean-purple horses are settled in and begin pairing the stallions and mares for breeding as soon as possible."

"Yes, Master."

Then, Viren led his two guardian knights to a chamber and produced the two orbs.

Instantly, the orbs floated into the air, slowly drifting toward the two bewildered brothers.

"Master, what is this?" Orlando asked, stepping back in confusion.

"These seem to be connected to you. Try touching them—perhaps you'll gain something unexpected," Viren replied, stroking his chin with unhurried calm.

Heeding his words, Orlando and Sheberai each reached out, grasped an orb in their right hands, closed their eyes, and channeled their battle aura.

In a flash, a dazzling light forced Viren to shield his eyes. The brothers were enveloped in radiance, which lasted ten minutes before fading to reveal two silver knights standing before him.

"Thank you for your gracious gift, Master," Orlando and Sheberai knelt, voicing their gratitude.

Still somewhat baffled, Viren scratched his head. "Now, tell me—what exactly happened?"

Orlando stepped forward and explained. The two orbs, swept into a spatial rift, had come to the Synapse Subcontinent, each containing a rare and precious martial core. Thanks to the fusion with these cores, their strength had been forcibly elevated.

Now, using the martial cores, they could contract knight retainers—transforming their battle aura into a seed, which would serve as a secondary core implanted in another's body, forming a vital link.

Thus, in times of war, Orlando could assemble a battle formation with these contracted knights, weaving their auras together to summon a war beast for battle.

"And now, how many retainers can you each contract?" Viren inquired.

"Master, my current limit is thirty," Orlando answered without hesitation.

"Master, mine is twenty-five," Sheberai replied, his tone tinged with disappointment.

"Very well. You may select your knight retainers as you wish. Soon, I will have Baird send a group to purchase a number of youths for you."

"Our deepest thanks for your favor, Master." Orlando and Sheberai knelt and bowed their heads in gratitude.

Seeing this, Viren hurriedly raised them up with a smile. "I told you, as my guardians I will nurture you with all my resources."

"In the future, you will each lead a knightly order formed around your contracted followers, and I will support you in every way."

"Master, we shall be your sword—ever loyal, serving you until our dying breath," Orlando and Sheberai declared, gazing at Viren with reverence and heartfelt devotion.

Watching these two young men grow, Viren began to understand at last what the destiny that had guided him meant by his 'wings.'

In the days that followed, the three thousand acres of yam beans and two thousand acres of root vegetables planted three months prior began to ripen.

Viren placed great importance on this first harvest, personally organizing the freemen and serfs to reap the crops.

Gazing at the mountains of yam beans and root vegetables, a smile broke across his face.

"Master, the joy of harvest is always uplifting," Baird remarked, his tone full of nostalgia.

"Indeed! A harvest brings joy and marks the first milestone in my endeavor," Viren said, picking up a yam bean, brushing off the dirt, and snapping it in half, handing one piece to Baird.

Tasting it, the crisp freshness and sweet juice took him back to childhood memories of eating sweet potatoes.

After five days, the three thousand acres yielded 1,350,000 jin of yam beans, averaging four hundred and fifty jin per acre. The two thousand acres yielded 400,000 jin of root vegetables, averaging two hundred jin per acre.

According to the previously established tax regulations, he would receive 810,000 jin of yam beans and 320,000 jin of root vegetables.

Further, Viren had Baird issue orders to purchase surplus grain from the freemen at a rate of one copper coin per jin of yam beans and two copper coins per jin of root vegetables.